Two for the Win
Mike is a U.S. Navy Veteran and Bryan has more than a decade of civil service experience. Together, these blue collar guys dissect the latest sports headlines and events.
Two for the Win
Two For The Win - E27 - Grand Slams & Grand Awards!
The sports universe is serving up a feast of action as playoffs dominate both hockey and basketball, while baseball delivers its unique brand of early-season drama. This packed episode covers all the bases with analysis that'll keep you in the know across multiple leagues.
NHL playoff hockey brings intense matchups with the Jets taking command against the Blues, while the Avalanche and Stars trade victories in a competitive series. A standout moment comes from Panthers star Matthew Kachuk, who returned from injury to score two goals in just 11 minutes of ice time – hardcore hockey player mentality on full display.
Baseball delivers its trademark unpredictability with Byron Buxton's game-saving diving catch for the Twins and the Cubs staging an epic 11-10 comeback against the Dodgers. We spotlight Nationals rookie Dylan Cruz and his heartwarming foundation creating tailgate experiences for special needs children – a growing trend across sports creating more inclusive spaces for all fans. Aaron Judge continues his torrid start, batting .415 through 94 at-bats while tied for the MLB lead with 26 RBIs.
The NBA playoffs offer compelling storylines with the Pacers surprising the Bucks to take a 2-0 series lead, the Pistons ending a 17-year playoff win drought against the Knicks, and the Thunder absolutely dominating the Grizzlies. Meanwhile, the Nuggets and Clippers deliver nail-biters with both games decided by a single basket.
As NFL Draft eve approaches, we break down potential trades within the top ten picks, with the Patriots at number four possibly moving down while teams interested in running back Ashton Gentry might make their move. Get ready for an action-packed 24 hours as the draft promises to reshape team futures across the league.
Whether you're a multi-sport enthusiast or focused on a particular league, this episode provides the insights and analysis you need. Subscribe, share your draft predictions with us on social media, and join the conversation!
Welcome back everybody. Thank you for joining us once again on April 23rd 2025. This year seems to be moving faster and faster, as we are already about to close out month number four. I'm Brian with an I.
Speaker 2:And I'm Mike.
Speaker 1:And we are Two for the Win, mike, playoff time still.
Speaker 2:And we are two for the win, mike. Playoff time still, of course.
Speaker 1:Of course we are definitely going to be talking some playoffs tonight I feel like it's been running for weeks and weeks and weeks. Man, we just never get enough.
Speaker 2:Playoffs are always exciting. We're going to be talking about the playoffs, of course, and we're going to be discussing some baseball, and we are on the eve of the NFL draft. We will try to catch up on some NFL news.
Speaker 1:Ooh, the eve of the NFL Draft, kind of like Christmas Eve, but for NFL teams and NFL prospects. Before we open the show here, real quick, I just want to give my co-host and good friend, mike, a happy birthday, shout out, his birthday was yesterday. Happy birthday, man. Thank thank you, thank you for doing this with me. It's been a great start so far and hopefully we have many, many more to come, so just wanted to get that out there for you, bro I was wondering what your announcement would be anyway.
Speaker 2:So, uh, we're going to kick off the show tonight, uh, discussing some of this, uh, playoff hockey action. So playoff hockey actually started saturday with, uh, the blues and jets playing and the jets came away the winners five to three on that, and the next game after that was the avalanche, and the stars, with the avalanche in commanding fashion, won five to1,. Which man, come on, stars, y'all got to pick that up. You can't be playing like that now, woo. But you know, playoff hockey, playoff hockey, that is hockey Just like baseball, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so Sunday's slate of games. We had or no, I think it was Sunday. Sunday's Hang on.
Speaker 1:Monday Tuesday.
Speaker 2:My apologies, yeah, sunday's games Monday so we had the Devils against the Hurricanes, with the Hurricanes winning 4-1. Devils didn't put up much of a showing there and the Maple Leafs took on the Senators after that, winning 6-2. So they got off the series with a win and the Golden Knights doing what they've done since they've hit the playoffs they won against the Wild 4-2. Then on Monday we had the Capitals playing against the Canadians, with the Capitals coming away with the 3-2 victory. The Jets played their second game and the Jets came away with the win, 2-1 against the Blues and the Stars. They made it happen. They came away with the win against the Avalanche 4-3. And we had the Kings and Oilers play as well the Kings and Oilers, with the Kings coming out 6-5, with the first win of that series.
Speaker 2:And then on Tuesday we had the second game of the Devils and Hurricanes, with the final score being 3-1. Now the Devils they looked like they could not get set up. They were playing some great defense early on. It just felt like they couldn't get set up when they got into the offensive side. It just I really feel for them because they were playing hard and there was some back and forth in that game. I watched that game.
Speaker 1:I agree, it was a competitive game.
Speaker 2:I mean the 3-1 score. It was an open net goal so they had a chance at one point late in the game but a knuckling puck kind of got whiffed on by one of the Devils players even though he had an open net to kind of get past the goalie late in the game. But it was unfortunate.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know Devils fans must be upset right now, being down 2-0 in the series.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, same thing with the Senators, who are now down 2-0 because the Maple Leafs beat the Senators that same night 3-2. And Panthers fans can rejoice because they won 6-2 against the Lightning for their first win of the series. But more so, in that series they got their star, matthew Kachuk, back and he played 11 minutes on the ice. Woo, and he made the most of those 11 minutes, getting two goals in those 11 minutes. Some people are speculating maybe he came back too soon and he shouldn't be playing. Man hockey players are tough.
Speaker 1:They'll play through a lot. Nice little sample size there. 11 minutes, pretty good sample size from him. Two goals as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, in 11 minutes that's pretty great. But the Wild they came back to get a win against the Golden Knights to make the series 1-1, with the Wild winning 5-2.
Speaker 1:Way to keep it interesting tie that series up over there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hockey is off and running with some great matchups so far and we're going to be continuing those matchups tonight where we have the Canadians going against the Capitals again. This is April 23rd's games, so we have Capitals, canadians, we have the Stars and Avalanche after that and then the Oilers and Kings playing the late-night game. So we'll see if those teams can come away with a victory. I mean, I know the Capitals would like to get that 2-0 lead and same thing with the Kings. They would like to get that 2-0 lead in their series. But tomorrow, if you're not watching the draft or you just need something to fill time, really good game with the Panthers and Lightning playing each other at 6.30. So actually it's before the draft. You could watch that game 6.30 Eastern, with Panthers trying to go for a 2-0 lead and the Maple Leafs are going to be playing the Senators at 7 o'clock. So still before the draft, but you can catch a little hockey action and see if the Maple Leafs can make it 3-0 in that series.
Speaker 1:You can flip back and forth or two-screen it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:Double-screen it, double-fisting, double-screening.
Speaker 2:And the Wild and Golden Knights will be playing at 9 o'clock on Thursday against all the Golden Knights and Wild One of them is trying to go 2-1 in the series.
Speaker 1:I know, I know Words are tough. I know, tell me all about it. We're here every week.
Speaker 2:So Jets and Blues are playing at 9.30. So they've got a little staggered start on some of these games Getting piled up on each other.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 7.30 to 7.00, or 7.00 to 7.30, then 9.00, 9.30.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but Jets are looking to take this series 3-0, if they can help it. Blues need to figure something out if they're going to stay competitive.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the Jets go up 3-0. That might be theirs to flush out to take that series. At that point it would be hard to come back from 3-0.
Speaker 2:So far we've been seeing some really good action in these games and it's good to see that Matthew Kachuk's back back on the ice. Especially, I know panthers fans are excited to have him back because they haven't had him since the four nation games congratulations, and this is the time to get hot, if you're gonna get hot.
Speaker 2:So exactly, exactly. And speaking of of injuries, we're gonna roll into some uh news out of Major League Baseball. We have some injury news to cover. So right now, Blake Snell he went to go do a throwing session the other day and not so great, he didn't feel very good with the throwing session and his manager said no, we're going to have to dial back, ease back on him throwing. Yeah, so they shut him down.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's tough so.
Speaker 2:Dodgers are down one of their starting pitchers, shohei Otani, who is coming off of right elbow and a left shoulder injury. You know he's been a little banged up. He was rescheduled a throwing session that's actually supposed to be happening today, so we'll see what happens with that. It should be a full bullpen session. Clayton Kershaw threw his rehab start on April 22nd and so he's making waves towards coming back. Corey Seeger of the Texas Rangers he exited with a tightness in his right hamstring on April 22nd in their game and Jack Leiter threw a 60-pitch 4-2 inning rehab start, so they might be getting Jack back here soon.
Speaker 1:Jack back, yeah, jack back, the knockoff, jack Black.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, that's just a few of the injuries that are going on right now. I don't want to dive too far into the weeds. I mean, yeah, the Orioles got a couple pitchers down. The Mets have Edwin Diaz and Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez and Sean Minaya all trying to come back, so players are already early in the season down with injuries. So it's not a great thing, but if you're going to go down earlier in the season, it's probably better. But one guy who is not hurt, though, is Byron Buxton. Byron Buxton, the center fielder of the Twins, had a game-saving catch the other day against the White Sox. There was two men on and it was 4-2 in the ninth, and Byron Buxton, going towards right center, made a full-out dive catch. It seems like we're saying this every show. He dove and caught the ball, dove and caught the ball and saved two runs from scoring to tie up the game.
Speaker 1:Man a hell of a play.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was a hell of a play. Hell of a play.
Speaker 1:Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 2:Speaking of good comebacks and great play, the Cubs had a hell of a game last night. They were playing against the Dodgers. Now, remember they played the Tokyo series against the Dodgers. That's right they did so. This is not their first go Tokyo series against the Dodgers.
Speaker 1:That's right, they did.
Speaker 2:So this is not their first go-round against the Dodgers.
Speaker 1:I believe the Dodgers won that series, didn't they?
Speaker 2:They did, they did, they won it, they won it. I want to say they won two out of three.
Speaker 1:I think it was two out of three.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so tides have turned because the Cubs how?
Speaker 1:the tables turn and tides have turned because the Cubs how the tables turn.
Speaker 2:The Cubs had a comeback win yesterday, 11-10. But this happened in such great fashion. So, like the Cubs you know, they had a Kyle Tucker home run that brought them within one run and they got down to their last out in the bottom of the ninth and they got a home run to tie the game, to take it into extras. The ninth, and they got a home run to tie the game, to take it into extras and then ian hap hit the walk-off single to give them the win over the dodgers. So now they've tied that series up between the dodgers this season. I mean early on in the season.
Speaker 2:That was pretty good comeback for them yes, yes and not to be outdone, but they kind of have. They kind of have a new little mascot for them. In the series they had against the Diamondbacks they had a seagull that flew down and grabbed a whole hot dog and was flying around the field with a whole hot dog in its mouth. Hot dog If you haven't seen this. You need to look it up, because it is just so funny to see this.
Speaker 1:I used to have a nickname it was Hot Dog Very good one, and it was a good hot dog as well. A lot of my nicknames come from junk food, ramen, hot Dog.
Speaker 2:Mac. It says a lot about you, I have good taste about you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, have good taste, good taste.
Speaker 2:Right Anyway, so yeah. Anyway, moving on, moving on. So yeah, if you haven't seen the seagull with the full hot dog in his mouth flying around the field, it's pretty funny to check out. But, as we said, moving on the Marlins have actually called up their number four prospect, augustin Ramirez. Augustin Ramirez, I'm probably saying his name, ramirez- Anyway, that's an easy one. His first name. No, Anyway, oh yeah. Augustin, I can an easy one, his first name no, anyway, oh yeah, oh, augustin, I can see the confusion.
Speaker 1:Yeah, augustin, there's an accent. There's an accent about it.
Speaker 2:Anyway, ramirez has started out hot. He has five hits in his first two games, setting a franchise record. So if you want to start at your career, that's how you do it. Right there. That's how you start out. And also a hot start, aaron Judge. After today's game where the Yankees won, aaron Judge, who was 2-4 in the game, is now batting .415 on the season through 94 at bats. He is also tied for the MLB lead in RBIs at 26 with another New York player, pete Alonzo bro, the season just started.
Speaker 1:I know, I know like we already running through records look, every team's got records.
Speaker 2:It's just how good are your records? Yeah, and right now aaron judge he's.
Speaker 1:He's probably close to the tom brady level of his career. Right now he's just at this point. It's just about stats and records.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I mean, when you're, when you're setting team records, that's, that's a hell of a thing to be doing, you know. Yeah, I commend him. I mean, if he keeps playing like this, the Marlins have got themselves the guy, you know.
Speaker 1:Bright future with this young man.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, very much so.
Speaker 1:Pretty good organization to be part of. Who doesn't love to be down in warm weather?
Speaker 2:Speaking about Pete Alonzo and the Mets, the Mets also had a walk-off win today, capping off a 4-3 win in the 10th inning over the Phillies, their division rival, which now, in this homestand, the Mets are 7-0 in their homestand in Citi Field. In Citi Field, that walk-off hit was by Starlin Marte, by the way. Another little bit of fun facts, or fun news about New York. So they relaxed Newark, they relaxed their. The New York Yankees did. They relaxed their stands on facial hair and longer hair.
Speaker 1:The standards, the rules yeah, they used.
Speaker 2:Well Steinbrenner, he was like we're the Yankees, we're professionals. You need to be clean, cut, you need to have a good haircut. No long hair, no long sideburns. He was very strict on that.
Speaker 1:Sounds like a true Yankee. You know what Yankee sounds like sometimes. I'm not going to say it on air.
Speaker 2:Anyway, point of the matter is uh, you would think that the players would be taking full advantage, but I actually saw where a bat boy a bat boy has a ginormous, like well-groomed beard and like long flowing hair coming out of the batting home and it's like somewhere steinbrenner is rolling over in his grave like what the hell is this?
Speaker 1:so somewhere. Who let this guy into the facility?
Speaker 2:who said this was okay. How this?
Speaker 1:guy. How did he even get an interview? Who is this man with long flowing beard hair?
Speaker 1:who said this was okay you don't look like a Yankee, sir. Go back down south, all right. And now we have some little excuse me, sorry y'all Motor speech problems. Words are hard, Like you said, mike, words are hard for us. Dylan Cruz you may be familiar with him Cruz is Cruz Plays for the Washington Nationals. He is a rookie, by the way, with the Nationals, so he has a connection with an 11-year-old girl from Baton Rouge, louisiana. He played for the LSU Tigers through his collegiate career tigers, uh, through his collegiate career, um and he started basically kind of a um, it's like a. What would you call it, mike? Like a?
Speaker 1:he started like an organization, right, like a fun. It's not a fun, but like a like a charity type, right? I want to say what it's called, what the official word of it is what it is is.
Speaker 2:He does a uh kind of a tailgate for special needs kids yeah, it's kind of yeah he makes it to where families and special needs kids can come out and have a tailgate experience where really most of the time special needs kids they don't get to participate in things of this nature because they kind of get sensory overload and it makes it hard for them to be able to do things that we take advantage of every day, like go to ball games or go to public events and we feel okay. But it's a lot harder for kids with special needs to be okay in those scenarios.
Speaker 1:And you know, mike, as you say things like that, uh, it rings a bell here because we've hit on this. It's. It's interesting, covering not one sport but a plethora of sports, because you start to see trends across different sports. Right, we've hit on this before, okay, uh, soccer, mls they have sensory friendly rooms and boards where blind people can now follow the game, and same thing at the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2:They had a trailer for helping.
Speaker 1:I was just about to go there, and they got that idea from the Philadelphia Eagles, who have a sensory friendly room and area for their fans to go to in times, times when they when they need it, you know, for those moments, uh, or if they just need a place to enjoy the game at the stadium, you know. So this is a great movement coming along. I really like this. And now a player, uh, affiliated with baseball, is doing something he started at the college level.
Speaker 2:Well, he started like four years ago I believe. He's been with LSU. He was with LSU, now he's with the Nationals. His name is Dylan Cruz and he's a good ball player that has every signs of showing that he's going to be a great MLB player and we hope that that does happen for him. But so, basically, this little girl, uh, I want to get her name name right. I don't want to say say her name wrong.
Speaker 1:Aubrey.
Speaker 2:Aubrey. Okay, so Aubrey is a special needs girl. She's now 11, but she was seven at the time and her family loves watching LSU college baseball Well, lsu anything, but they love the baseball team. And this little girl who has trouble speaking, like she doesn't really verbalize anything, she doesn't really verbalize anything out of nowhere watching a lsu game, says dylan cruz says his name clears a bell a few times and her parents are like what in the world? Like she?
Speaker 2:yeah they're looking at each other like they saw a ghost, because and this girl has not even said mom, dad, not even called her sister's name out, but she just said dylan cruz's name clears the bell multiple times and it was like, oh my goodness that's a magical, that's a magical moment, right there too but this video was put online and they showed it to Dylan Cruz and Dylan Cruz he's like I got to meet him.
Speaker 2:So they invited him out to LSU game and invited him out early to batting practice before the game so they could kind of feel out the situation and kind of feel out whether they wanted to. Kind of like an appetizer they get to see the stadium empty, they get to feel the atmosphere get their daughter familiar with the space and so she doesn't like yeah. So they can kind of kind of prepare herself.
Speaker 1:You know she's not in a totally unfamiliar space for the first time full of a crowd, you know exactly, and I think that this is really something good and special, um, because now all these different sports are creating spaces and, um, you know, avenues for people and children of special needs to be able to enjoy, uh, their sports uh, in person. So I think this is incredible what he's done. I absolutely believe it's going to grow. I mean, he started it a few years ago, like you said, with his college. It's obviously getting popular in Louisiana and among LSU, and once he brings this to the national stage, I honestly think this could spread over time. Maybe multiple teams pick up something like this across the MLB.
Speaker 2:Well, he said he wants to bring it to MLB. Well, he wants to bring it to the Nationals and I don't think the Nationals will say no to it.
Speaker 1:Like everything else, it starts with one right. You start with one step on the ground floor and you go from there.
Speaker 2:The biggest thing is starting, just like everything else, you just keep going after that but the one thing I also want to say on this is that he's actually really close with that family and that family's really close with his family and, uh, he actually facetimes aubrey on her birthday every year since they met. So that's a, so it's a really good story and a really good thing that they're doing for a fan and for somebody who may be not included, as often when it comes to part of the crowd.
Speaker 1:You know what I like about him keeping in touch with Miss Aubrey. He has a direct line to what people in this community really need as far as to be able to enjoy these things. So keeping that connection, keeps an ear direct to somebody to be able to say hey, this idea is not working, or can you do something like this so he knows how to steer his foundation? That's the word I was looking for. By the way, foundation, his foundation, that's the word I was looking for, by the way, foundation.
Speaker 2:So I have a little bit of out-of-the-way kind of news to pass along.
Speaker 1:Left turn time.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, maybe it's a right turn, I don't know, maybe it's a U-turn. We don't often get news.
Speaker 1:Maybe we're just turning around.
Speaker 2:We don't often get news from lower grades of baseball, but I'm about to give you some news.
Speaker 1:Sir, please don't speak offensively into these mics.
Speaker 2:Well, no, it's not offensive. It's like when do we ever talk about high A baseball? We don't.
Speaker 1:That's the point I'm not here to put anybody down. Mike, I don't know why you are.
Speaker 2:I'm not putting anybody down, sir. This is actually a lifting up moment. I apologize to the listeners for his income. Let me lay this out for you. So the Red Sox have a minor leaguer by the name of Andy Lugo who plays in high baseball for Greenville. He drove in the game-winning run in the 12th inning, bottom of the 12th inning, with the bases loaded. And how do you celebrate a hit like this?
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:Lord, I don't think you've seen this yet, but let me show this to you. I read about this this man, okay, so like when you're watching a baseball, fly out into deep left or or, you know, deep right this was the bat that you see, the bat that sailed see in this. This video shot mr lugo's bat flying up in the air he's just almost the same height as the ball. So you're sitting here watching the, watching the ball go and's like wait. What is that? Is that the bat?
Speaker 1:They said he threw it so high the camera lost track of it.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And when he ran into home base they ripped his jersey off and it was also launched into the air, where the camera also lost track of it.
Speaker 2:So this gives a whole new perspective in raising the bar. So now the bat flip bar is so much higher for these players. So this gives a whole new perspective in raising the bar.
Speaker 1:So now the bat flip bar is so much higher for these players the bat flip, and then the teammates not just the Gatorade bat, but ripping off the jersey. These guys are just throwing everything. They have a bunch of party animals out here. They've been doing the jersey rip, but this was pretty impressive. We're just out here littering baseball memorabilia and memories all over yeah, we're just gonna.
Speaker 2:We're just gonna launch this thing up there as high as we can get it it's not litter if it's worth money right so but anyway, if you get a chance, go look up his bat flip. You're gonna be like, wait, what the that's exactly the response you'll have, because was he using a hey, hey, was he using a torpedo bat?
Speaker 1:uh, I had to say. I had to say that was good. Okay, let's torpedo this subject anyway.
Speaker 2:So on this day, april 23rd, on this day, april 23rd, 26 years ago, in baseball we had a pretty historic event happen. So we might find this name familiar Fernando Tatis, not junior senior. Fernando Tatis, on this day 26 years ago, hit not one but two grand slams against the same pitcher, chanho Park of the Dodgers. He was a member of the Cardinals at that point in time and, uh, after one of his home runs, you can see where Mark McGuire's kind of give him a little little little punch the gut like yeah, man, you go get it so you got, like one of the guys that's known for home runs, giving you a little dap there, so that was probably a day that.
Speaker 1:Tatis hasn't forgotten. Yeah, what was the pitcher's name?
Speaker 2:Chanho Park.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Look, chanho Park was a very good pitcher in his day, so like this wasn't like a, hey, we brought somebody up from the minors.
Speaker 1:Well, honestly, that just gives the two grand slams more weight, because you did it against a good player.
Speaker 2:You did it against a good player and, let's face it, like even good players have off days, that was just a really off day for chanho park look, I, I always, I never try to tear anybody down.
Speaker 1:okay, you always try to give credit to your competition, because then when you win, you beat somebody who was good. You don't want to beat somebody who's bad. You don't get accolades for that. So don't say your competition's bad, don't talk shit about your competition.
Speaker 2:No, I'm not saying competition's bad, but we all know what a bad team is.
Speaker 1:Not you, just people in the world, athletes in particular, the ones who are still competing ideally.
Speaker 2:Anyway. So talking about people being beaten, we're going to look into league leaders right now for each of the divisions. So right now we have in the AL East the New York Yankees are leading that division 15-10. The Yanks, with the Boston Red Sox right behind them at 14-11, so they're only down a game. We have the Detroit Tigers who are also 15-10.
Speaker 1:They're playing tag.
Speaker 2:With Cleveland Guardians right behind them 14-10. They're only a half game back on the Tigers. The Texas Rangers are leading their division 14-9, with the Astros right behind them 12-11.
Speaker 1:Astros and the Mariners, actually, and the Angels, that's honestly, it's a tight division that is tight. Only four games separating the last place from the first place.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so there's some good ball being played out of the AL West. So the NL East right now. I bet you nobody had this kind of record right now, with the Mets leading the division 18 wins with 7 losses, with a 5-game lead above the Phillies who are? 13-12.
Speaker 1:And not only do they share a division with the Phillies, but the Nationals as well, two notable teams there to be ahead of the Braves as well.
Speaker 2:The Braves actually have been turning things around. They're actually five of their last six, so they're now 10 and 14. So they're playing some better ball, but they need some things to break their way if they're going to ever catch up to the Mets.
Speaker 1:The NL East might be pretty interesting there, huh.
Speaker 2:Well, and speaking of the Cubs, who we mentioned earlier in the NL Central, they're leading the division at 15-10, with a one-and-a-half game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers, who are 13-11. Who are 13 and 11. Now moving down to the nl west, the nl west the leader is not the dodgers the leader is the san diego padres by a game 17 to 17 wins with eight losses, with a half game up on the dodgers, who are 16 and 8.
Speaker 2:So they're not bad. But yeah, don't look now. But the Giants are 15 and 9 right behind them, making them only a game and a half back from the lead. And then the Arizona Diamondbacks are 14 and 9, making them only two games back.
Speaker 1:So we got some really tight and we're not even we're not even going to mention the worst team in baseball right now. The rockies have four wins yeah every single other team, with the exception of the white socks and, well, the twins well, the white socks have been bad, so they're just keeping. Look if you're based with being bad, if you're at eight or nine wins, you're kind of bottom. But if you're below, if you don't even have five wins right now, at this point in the beginning, part of the season.
Speaker 2:If you can count your wins on one hand, you have a problem.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you got a problem. Look at all these teams double digits, some of them getting ready to run into the 20s, and the ones who are really lagging, not even close to breaking double digits, not even close to breaking double digits, the Rockies being one of them. Scroll up to two other teams we were just talking about a little bit more the White. Sox yeah, the White Sox and the Twins. Clearly I can't remember them because they're not any good right now.
Speaker 2:That's how life works. Well, I mean they did get that walk-off win against the White Sox. I mean they tried to get that win time up in the ninth but it wasn't for. Augustin's amazing catch.
Speaker 1:Who has the most wins right now? Right now, it's the Mets. It's the Mets.
Speaker 2:The Mets have the most wins right now because they are 18-7.
Speaker 1:Okay, 18-7. And who's right behind them in the overall league? Anybody with 17 wins.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just said the Padres.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, the Padres yeah, that's who I was going to lead to next.
Speaker 2:The Padres and then the Dodgers with 16.
Speaker 1:The top teams in the league are still rather close, yeah, but you know, still the beginning of the MLB season and things are looking interesting and entertaining as well. Already, baseball is always entertaining Birds with hot dogs and baseball bats flying into the air. Gender reveals at home play. It's all kinds of things going on.
Speaker 2:It always comes back to the same phrase. When you can't really explain why something happens, you just say that's baseball.
Speaker 1:Look, when it comes to baseball, there's a Savannah Banana in all of us, including the pro teams.
Speaker 2:You know what? I'm glad you brought that up. Look, if somebody wants to watch, they say a baseball is not exciting enough, there's not enough going on, you need to watch a Savannah Banana game.
Speaker 1:And there's another team that does similar to what they do too. I forget the name of them. I recently just learned of them, but you know there's two teams that do these things and, honestly, if you ever just go to a baseball team, you'll see what we're talking about.
Speaker 2:It's really entertaining, hanging on what we're talking about with the Savannah Bananas, and actually they do travel around. They go to other stadiums and other parks and play and if you get the chance, go see them, even if you don't love baseball, because, listen, it's not like going to a normal baseball game. These, these players, they ham it up. They're, they are doing everything and anything to get you into the game it's like they're they're dancing on the field, they're doing back flips and catching the ball they're doing under the legs you know, passes of the of the baseball to each other.
Speaker 2:They're sitting there popping the ball off their glove, catching it, you know, and throwing it in, you know, doing amazing catches and throws.
Speaker 1:Like if baseball had their own version of Nitro Circus. This is what that would be.
Speaker 2:They have guys coming out on stilts taking in that bat. They have guys coming out with a flaming bat and hitting the ball and they're doing. They're doing things in between innings to get the fans involved too, to like get them to dance. They do walk-up songs for some of their players as they're coming up to bat. You know like it's? It really is a like almost a circus of a of a baseball game, but they, at the end of the day they are playing music.
Speaker 1:It's really entertaining, it's like, and it is a baseball game too at the same time, so it's pretty good as well yeah, just check it out there's other teams that do similar what they do. Um I I forget the name. I don't know why I'm forgetting the name, but it's always when I'm on the spot that I forget everything I need to know same here but are we ready to talk about some nba? Are we still talking about?
Speaker 2:no, no, let's.
Speaker 1:Let's move on to some nba, because look, mike, over the last month or so let's just call it what it is the nba has become kind of like a secondary flagship sport for us, and so is baseball. Baseball and the nba are becoming flagship sports, kind of like football.
Speaker 2:Right, we're beginning to be able to talk about them because basketball, basketball once you get past the all-star game, flagship sports kind of like football, right, we're beginning to be able to talk about them the way we talk about football Basketball. Once you get past the All-Star game, it becomes more relevant, more people want to see it, more people want to be involved and see what the outcomes will become of this sport. And I'm telling you, man, playoff basketball.
Speaker 1:Honestly playoff anything. Play man like playoff basketball Honestly playoff anything Playoff hockey, playoff basketball, playoff football. If you gamble, it's a different vibe.
Speaker 2:So, like we have the March Madness right, that's kind of like the appetizer of getting warmed up for the NBA playoffs, because you know March Madness is a whole other feel to itself. You know it has its own feel, it has its own vibe, and then you get into the NBA playoffs. It's its own thing, Like yes, it's playoff basketball, but it is still so much fun. I love playoff sports in general.
Speaker 1:I like it. I do say a lot of sports become a lot more interesting once you hit the playoff. Sports in general, I like it. I do say a lot of sports become a lot more interesting once you hit the playoff time, because there's factors that aren't accounted for in the regular season. But, going ahead, we're moving in here to some NBA. We'll start off with some player awards, and I don't know if this is really an award or not, but Bleacher Reports no no, no, this is not an award.
Speaker 1:This is not an award, but we're going to say it first before the awards Doric Sam of Bleacher Report.
Speaker 2:They did a Well, the Athletic did. Bleacher Report was reporting on it. Oh, okay, it was the Athletic, sorry, I'm reading the headline here the Athletic did a voter's poll of NBA players to find out some key things of how they feel about certain players in the NBA and what is that they feel, Brian.
Speaker 1:Well, they think Cade Cunningham is the most overrated player. And sorry, which one did they frame?
Speaker 2:They said Tyrese.
Speaker 1:Tyrese, halliburton.
Speaker 2:Tyrese, halliburton was voted the most overhyped player.
Speaker 1:The most overhyped player. Overhyped or overrated.
Speaker 2:Overrated, overhyped, same difference.
Speaker 1:And then Cade Cunningham was voted the most underrated player, which I can kind of agree with that one a little bit, based on what I've been reading here recently. Cunningham topped the list of 75 players to receive the vote for most underrated, according to what the Athletic did here. 23 years old, he's already on the verge of superstardom stardom.
Speaker 2:So, and I can this list. It's kind of ridiculous because even the coach of the Pacers came out and said for Halliburton to be listed the most you know overrated player is is complete junk and he said he would like to see the faces that voted this. Yeah, um, but you know it's funny because another player that's in the playoffs was number two on the list, who's actually normally the overrated player reigning champ and that's rudy gobert, and rudy gobert was number two this year instead of number one. So he's probably like thank God, thank God, it's not me this year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, man, it's just, it was a weird. It's a fun little thing they do you know.
Speaker 2:I don't know that Halliburton will find it too fun. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1:You know, I hate saying overrated when you're talking about a professional level sport, because everybody there is good.
Speaker 2:So you've got gotta be good to make it that far, even theoretically. Let's just play football even the bench warmers in the nba could go out to any court anywhere and school some people, yeah, and you actually.
Speaker 1:You see that as I'm about to lewd, to lewd here with the six man of the year Award presented by Kia Peyton Pritchard. He's in his fifth season with the Celtics but he has averaged 14.3 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and he had three games he started for the Celtics through the season. So all these numbers are a career high for him, at 47.2 shots from the field and 40.7% of those from the three-point range. Very high shooting percentage. He put up 1,079 points. It was a league high coming off the bench, fifth among all NBA players and three-pointers made. It's no wonder this guy's a six-man-a-year award.
Speaker 2:Mike, what you got, bro well, just to jump back on the, the, the uh, hal burton and cunningham uh, just for a moment, I wanted to say that I feel like the only reason cunningham, kate cunningham is, is kind of the overlooked player. He plays, plays with the Pistons and nobody's really paid attention to the Pistons for a while.
Speaker 1:Hey, let's understand.
Speaker 2:The Pistons were pretty sorry there for a good while.
Speaker 1:Hey, we're going to get to them here in a minute, but keep an eye on the Pistons because right now and I'm not going to get ahead of us, but they're 1-1 in the playoffs right now versus the Knicks in that series- I'm not saying I called it, it ain't over. We'll get to that here in a few minutes. Congratulations to Peyton Pritchard on that prestigious award. Yes.
Speaker 2:To be honest, you could have picked multiple people off of the Celtics bench. White could have done it, but Pritchard really did. He was really showing out. When players went down and he went in the lineup, he was, you know, throwing up threes like nobody's ever done.
Speaker 1:I honestly think his three-point percentage plus the sheer number of points he put up is probably what put him at that top spot. Because playing on the Celtics first of all, they're loaded okay, it's hard to become a name, you know, a household name of any sort playing in a crowded well you know superstardom team you got to tip your hat to them because they play so unselfish, like there's nobody in there that's going I need my touches like I need my shots, get me the ball.
Speaker 2:Get me the ball. Like they don't care if somebody else has the hot hand. They're going to get them the ball and they kind of take turns at who's taking the shot.
Speaker 1:Yeah so really. One of the best performing championship teams in the history of the NBA, and you see why. Here their teamwork Well, the way they play with each other.
Speaker 2:You know, the crazy part is and you might know this, you may not how many playoff games has Jason Tatum played so far? If you had to take a guess, how many games do you think he's played so far in his career? Keep in mind he's still mid-20s, he's young.
Speaker 1:I mean I don't want to guess, because I know I don't know the information.
Speaker 2:But that's the point. You can take a guess, just take a guess seven but come on, man, you've got to do a better guess than that, remember 107.
Speaker 1:Goddamn my bad, I don't know you're actually pretty close. 114 okay so he's had 114 playoff games already. He's had basically a whole nother season dang of playoff games already.
Speaker 2:He's had basically a whole other season of playoff games.
Speaker 1:Which is a lot of good experience to have, so congrats to him getting that.
Speaker 2:Speaking of Tatum he's not playing tonight.
Speaker 1:Yeah, speaking of Tatum, and we'll get to that in a moment as well. But yeah, Tatum fell on his wrist last game, kind of rough. He was doubtful, but he is out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's not going to play for the Celtics tonight against the Magic.
Speaker 1:It's interesting to see how the Celtics handle this. But real quick. Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks. He gets Clutch Player of the Year award. He's 5.6 points per game on 51 and a half percent shooting in clutch situations. Okay, so that's a different stat there. They say clutch situations here 64.7 percent on field goals and 50 three points in the final 30 seconds of close games. Okay, this man, all right, the knicks are 17 and 11. Their record is 17 and 11 in clutch games with him on the court. That's why he gets Clutch Player of the Year of 2025.
Speaker 1:The third one that's only been announced so far NBCA Coach of the Year Cleveland Cavaliers, kenny Atkinson. Their team record is 64-18. They're the best in the Eastern Conference and they're honestly right behind they're lockstep with the Celtics and right behind Oklahoma City as far as stats and wins. So this is an award that's actually awarded by the National Basketball Coaches Association, as what NBCA acronym is for. So that's a very prestigious award for a coach to get, because there's only one that gets it, obviously, every year. So congratulations to Kenny Atkinson on that and the job you've done in leading the Cavaliers to where they're at now.
Speaker 1:You know, mvp, mvp, dpoi, rookie of the Year, most improved player those have yet to be announced so far, uh, and we'll go ahead and move on down in here. Move my mic a little bit sorry, I'm getting a little bit with the mic. So those are the individual awards announced so far. Let's go ahead and talk about some actual NBA playoff and get into the standings here. Going back to tatum, he's doubtful for game two. I think he's not good. I think he's actually yeah, he's out he's out now.
Speaker 1:Uh, magic have been very weak and scoring so, but they have.
Speaker 2:They also have a high turnover rate, so they're a very young team, so it's not surprising that they're having struggles scoring and having struggles with turnovers, because they're probably pressing.
Speaker 1:Well, their top two players, Bandera and Wagner, last game combined for 59 points and they still lost by a considerable margin. Grant, like you say, they're a young team.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, and you need to have players that can spread out the ball. You can't just be relying on your two top players the entire time. You need some guys to step up. That's where having a team like the Celtics with some depth that can you know? Hey, we got guys coming off the bench and they're putting up the benches scoring 20 points. That does have an effect on the starters.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I fully expect celtics to lock this one up. I don't think anybody's surprised by that, but magic should still find a way to try to fight for it. But league average points for the celtics is just over 100. Orlando magic's not even scoring 90 points a game on average. So, um, you know, and they have some other stats not in their favor. Talking about Magic here, the fact that they made the playoffs, I think, is good. It's a good sign in their direction. But, barring something major, I still think the Celtics are just going to end up walking into the next round.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, I mean you're talking about a returning champ, yeah, defending champ, and kind of hard to just A defending champ and one of the best in NBA history, as we mentioned before. Yeah, it's kind of hard to just say you know what? All right, we're just going to bounce out the champion, champ Like they're nothing. I mean they lost. Back on Sunday they lost to the Celtics 103-86.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so. So I mean, and that that is in lockstep with the season stats I just mentioned. So it's, it's going to be a rough go against the defending champs for them, but do the best you can, bro, go out there and fight hard yeah so if you beat the Celtics, the bar is going to be raised for you considerably, so just be ready for that.
Speaker 1:And then, moving into an interesting this is one that I'm watching here right, pacers and the Bucs. I said two weeks ago, and even, I think, briefly last week, the Pacers tend to turn it on around playoff time. They have a history of playoff upsets. The Bucs have.
Speaker 2:Well, they have two issues. They have an aging Damian Lillard and then they have a Giannis Antetokounmpo who can't I'll say it for this he can't shoot, but he can create plays and get a shot. So he's not, like you know, assassin from behind the three-point line, he just kind of makes moves to the baskets and scores.
Speaker 1:Well, the Bucs were pretty strong through the regular season. They had a relatively decent defense as well. So what's interesting about this is, as strong as the Bucs were through the season, the Pacers have not been behind. They're 2-0 in this series now and the Pacers have not been behind in points since the beginning of Game 1. They have led this entire series through two games.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Pacers won Game 1, 117-98.
Speaker 1:So that was a pretty good defeat and the Bucs almost swept the Pacers in the regular season 3-1, right so to come back into playoffs and the Pacers would be 2-0 against the Bucs almost swept the Pacers in the regular season 3-1, right so to come back into playoffs and the Pacers to be 2-0 against the Bucs. This is what I'm talking about the Pacers turning it on. You've got to be ready for them in playoff time, man.
Speaker 2:Well, and the Pacers did have their hands full in Game 2 because they did win the game 123, but the Bucs put up 115. So they definitely played a much tighter game that time around. They just didn't come away with the win.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if the Pacers, which is looking more and more likely, if the Pacers manage to knock off the Bucs, I really keep a close eye on them here in this playoff run. And then the next game down, the Pistons and the Knicks. This one not as interesting, but the Knicks are ranked third. They have a lot of expectations. They have really high expectations this season. What you got, bro.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, the Knicks won game one 123 to 112.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So the series is tied right now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're tied, but real quick.
Speaker 1:Because game two two the pistons won 100 to 94 yep 194 and and the knicks dealt with a little situation here versus the pistons. The pistons led had a pretty comfortable 15 point lead through the most of the last two games. Blew it in game one, almost blew it in game two, but this is partly why the Pistons head coach, I think, got coach of the year, because they have not had a win in the playoffs in 17 years and even though they're only one in one time in the series, they ended that drought just the other night. So congratulations to them on ending the playoff drought. They still have to go win the series and make it further into the playoffs, but it's a good start.
Speaker 2:I honestly think that the Pistons have a good shot at upsetting the Knicks and bumping them out.
Speaker 1:I think so too. The Knicks have been struggling a little bit. They've been dealing with some situations, especially, I think, surrounding the center of their court.
Speaker 2:They've played heavy minutes To me, a Thibido team. I don't know why it just is what it is. They play heavy minutes and when they get in the playoffs, those heavy minutes show and they don't perform well yeah, and you know, and it's just that they just kind of collapse but they managed to.
Speaker 1:So the pistons the knicks are getting lucky with the pistons right now because they're having a lead and they're blowing it. They're because the pistons aren't totally well rounded themselves either, so I think they're kind of getting a little bit lucky holding it together. But coming into game three, I think this is going to tell us a lot about who's going to try to possibly close out this series here, because I think you're going to see these two teams maybe try a different approach to each other with what they've been experiencing and the constraints they've been at. So, excuse me, guys, talked about the Celtics. Magic already Hit on the heat. You know, waiting for all that. Let's jump over here. Western side, the Western side uh, thunder's at the top, but we're not gonna talk about thunder just yet. Oh, I'm sorry I'm lying because my agenda is moving on me. Here we go okc leads memphis and all stats. I don't know if anybody's surprised by this.
Speaker 2:They also lead the series against the grizzlies 2-0 so right now the thunder have the biggest win as far as points separation. In the first game, where they won 131 to 80, you got blown out by 51 points. That's a pretty bad night, and to make matters worse, the next game they lost 118 to 99. So they have lost by a collective 70 points for the through the first two games in the series and down 20. It's only fourth.
Speaker 1:All time, though, and and two and two games into the playoff series, they haven't even scored 100 points, and Thunder's put up over 100 in each game for a collective of over 200. By the way, like I was just about to say, okay, see, they beat the Grizzlies in every single stat. Okay, this is what a championship team looks like. I'm just going to run through some of these real stat. Okay, this is what a championship team looks like. I'm just going to run through some of these real quick. Okay, their season average for games is 124.5 points, one of the highest, if not the highest, in the league.
Speaker 2:And to make this even more impressive, they're not relying totally on SGA to be their number one scorer. I mean, they're kind of spreading it around.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So that's good to see that they're playing a well-rounded game. Well, yeah, really showing that the Thunder just don't know what to do with them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the Grizzlies. And that's how you play championship football. That's how you play championship basketball. Okay, because, sorry guys, anyway, because these guys they spread the ball around, they play teamwork, they utilize their bench players good rotation, by the way, these guys are all around. There's a reason why they might be the best in nba history right now. Um, their rebound's at 54.5. Their assist's 28.5. So some of these stats are kind of low, which is good for them. Steals they have 10. That's a pretty high number in the league. They have an average of eight blocks. That's a little bit low. Their turnovers which is interesting, by the way, is 11.5, because there are teams that have a lower turnover rate, but these guys are making up for it in rebounds, assists and steals. And then they have a 46.8% for field goal scoring, 34.4% for three-pointers and 87.1% for free throws, so leading not just the grizzlies but probably a lot of other teams across the nba and most stats all right.
Speaker 2:Well, this, this series, is kind of a dead horse at this point. We know, we know pretty much what's going to happen there, but I want to talk about the clippers and nuggets yes, yes, I was so ready to get to that next. This has been probably one of the most exciting series in the entire playoffs right now, because both games it's come down to a basket.
Speaker 2:Like they've been, the score is one basket worth. So, like the Nuggets won game one 112-110. And then on Monday night the Clippers won 105-102. So they're within a bucket of each other in the first two games. So we're having tight contested basketball.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I like this matchup too. This was interesting about the nuggets they don't have a head coach right now. I still can't believe they fired their head coach for making the playoffs.
Speaker 2:We talked about this a little bit last week anyway, but that that seemed more like a uh trying to get people, make people happy, because it sounds like there's a lot of but contention in the locker room the nuggets to be one in one in the playoff series with the number five clippers, uh, by the way, who are probably just over middle of the pack in the nba.
Speaker 1:they're not great, but they definitely do not suck. Uh, dude, the nuggets are rocking man, like To have just fired your head coach and have all this drama surrounding your organization and I know it's not really a lot of drama like the Washington Redskins or the Cowboys, but there's a little bit of drama. You fire your head coach and you still got to go through the playoffs, right. So I got to commend the Nuggets a lot for being 1-1 right now and fighting hard, scoring over 100 points in one of those matches to make a statement uh, this might be one of the more interesting matchup series so far. Mike I, I agree with you there. Uh, let's go on down here. Lakers timberwolves an american classic. At this point, if you can't call the Lakers an American classic, then Well, I mean, they're kind of a staple point in.
Speaker 1:NBA playoffs, Exactly right.
Speaker 2:But hold on though.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The Timberwolves beat them 117-95 in Game 1 on Saturday, but the Lakers said hold my beer, we're not done. Yeah, they came back and won 94 to 85 in the next game.
Speaker 1:So whatever they, whatever they got from jj reddick as far as a pep talk must have worked so the lakers, what they did is they ended up getting physical and going a little bit defense heavy right. So they led by double digits almost the entire game, their last game, and they were also capitalizing over Minnesota center Goeder, because he's not a very over. He's a good player, but he's not very strong. What.
Speaker 2:Do you mean Rudy Goeder?
Speaker 1:Yeah, goeder, that guy. You call him like Goeder, I keep calling him Goeder becausebert, yeah, Gobert, that guy, you call him like Goater.
Speaker 1:I keep calling him Goater because I read it as Goater, but I know it's Gobert. Gobert, yeah, and it is Gobert in my notes too. But they're capitalizing on him because he's the Timberwolves center and he's either lost balls, he's missed shots, he's not handling the ball very well. So capitalizing on him and turning over to a defensive strong strategy has helped them in the last game. But the other thing is not to cut you off, mike. The Timberwolves have another problem, bro. So they were divisional rivals with the Mavs or they are divisional rivals with the Mavs?
Speaker 1:Donchik played for the Mavs a year ago, by the way, in 2024, I'm not totally familiar with his extensive history. You mean Luka Luka Donchik? Yes, donchik Donchik. Fuck off man. Everybody knows what I'm talking about. Just say Luka, luka, luka, luka. I Anyway, luka was not really there in Game 1, but he turned it on in Game 2. The Timberwolves have not had an answer for him, no matter what jersey he's wearing, because he was a big part of what shut them down in the season 2024. He sent them packing on summer vacation when he was with the Mavericks a year ago.
Speaker 2:Speaking of packing summer vacation. When he was with the Mavericks a year ago Speaking of packing, apparently Ant-Man Anthony Edwards got in a little trouble for talking about what he's packing to some fans. He got into it with some fans on the side and was talking about how he has a bigger package than them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he was fined $50,000 for that. By the way. Know, yeah, he was. Yeah, he was fined fifty thousand dollars for that. By the way, um, look, the timberwolves, especially kind of through the last few weeks, have had their issues on and off the court, man, I mean, they were involved in a scuffle that involved what one head coach and five players being ejected and one guy being banned, banned from a pizza, a pizza place, stevenson or Stewart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, stewart was banned. You know. No pizza for you, sir. So in 24, he sent them, you know. And, by the way, this was also a special game for Luka. We'll keep moving on here. He was one point shy of a triple-double in game two. So a triple-double if you know what a double is, it's where you lead by double-digit points and at least two stats or more. He led by double-digit points and almost he almost led by double-digit points and three stats.
Speaker 2:Okay, Well, not lead. He just has to have double digits in the stat column. Either way he still led.
Speaker 1:But you know he had 34.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists. I'm assuming the assist is probably where he fell short on. Uh, he shot 47 from the field, 43 of those shots were deep, 85 from the line. He, in other words, this man, went out and balled out. Okay, he went out and made up for game one, okay, yeah. So minnesota, who's known for their strong man-on-man coverage. They actually switched to a double man coverage and they still lost versus luca and the lakers. So it's not lebron and lakers anymore, it's luca and lakers now. So, uh, you know. So that that's an interesting series to watch, and I and I think, the lakers now. So that's an interesting series to watch, and I think the Lakers can turn it around in Timberwolves, especially if they keep the Timberwolves rattled. And the last series we have here one of my personal favorites, the Rockets and the Warriors. Mike, what are you thinking here? Golden State leads 1-0 right now as we record this show.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking that it's like I called it. I said that the Rockets are a young team and they're going to have their hands full playing against a team who has a wealth of playoff experience in the Rockets or the Warriors. And the Warriors pulled off the win 95-85 in the first game and, to be quite honest, if the Rockets can't figure something out, this is exactly how the series is going to play out.
Speaker 2:They're going to wind up getting bumped by the seven seed, and I mean it's not because the Rockets aren't a good team, it's because the Rockets have no real playoff experience. They're coming into a scenario where they're facing a team that has all the playoff experience in the world, and I mean they're seven seed, so they've got nothing to lose.
Speaker 1:If they do anything in the series or they move on in the series, everybody's going to see that as a win, while with the Rockets they could be be bumped right out and everybody's going to be like what a disappointment yeah, I, I really the rockets, one of my favorites, especially in the number two seat at, you know, but a young team, you know, I I'd like to see them pull it out, but I really think you know again, steph curry, four and oh, versus the rockets in the playoffs all time. Uh, the warriors very strongly favor to move on. They'll probably do it, but I'm going to stand in the Rockets' corner anyway.
Speaker 2:Well, speaking of standing in somebody's corner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, boy.
Speaker 2:Well, I don't know if you want to. Yeah, boy, about this next part. So, ESPN right now is kind of standing behind their boy, Shannon Sharp.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, yeah, boy to this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, yeah, boy, because we don't know, too easily, too early.
Speaker 1:Okay, so in this country.
Speaker 2:We are innocent until proven guilty and right now things are looking pretty heated for Shannon Sharp, who has been dealing with a little bit of accusations from a young lady that he was dating. He was dating Right now they're not putting a name on it but a young lady in her mid-20s or just in her 20s.
Speaker 1:Early 20s.
Speaker 2:Oh, early 20s.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, they were very clear about that in the article.
Speaker 2:Okay, Well, Shannon Sharp, who is 56, was dating an early 20s girl and she is accusing him of rape and accusing him of being aggressive and threatening and a number of things. So she has lawyered up with Tony Busby and if that name sounds familiar, it should, because he's been linked with almost every single case that has been against any celebrity or sports star.
Speaker 1:Very high profile attorney, yeah, or?
Speaker 2:sports star, very high profile attorney, yeah, yes, so he is backing her. And, uh, shannon sharp has come out and said that he feels the accusations are are completely false and bogus and it's just a money grab, and that he's, he's. He put a, he put a post out on on social media. If you want to go find it, you can see what he said exactly. But, um, he's lawyered up and uh, apparently, and I, he, he said that he offered 10 million dollars to kind of like hush this and send it away. But I, I, I just don't like the looks of that.
Speaker 1:Look, I have a lot to say about this. Okay, especially since we were reviewing this earlier. I don't know which way to lean on it, right, but I know one thing, and this leads back to what I said last week and what I've said through a few couple of our episodes right, and especially as men okay, you have to be present in your right mind in the moment that you're men. Okay, you have to be present in your right mind in the moment that you're in. Okay, judgment as soon as you lose your cool, you lose your judgment, and men not trying to be sexist, but I'm a man, so that's the perspective I'm speaking from Men are probably the worst. With it, we will start running off the mouth. We'll, we'll do things, we'll say things before we've thought about things, regardless of the situation right, wrong or indifferent, okay, oh, I know, sharp texted her some things that were unsavory. I won't get it said some.
Speaker 2:Apparently they have a recording.
Speaker 1:Yeah, apparently they have a recording. Look, this is how things like this unfold. Okay, let's just put the accusations aside. They might be true, they might not okay. The moment, as a man, you fly off the handle and start saying things and doing things that are erratic, you begin to hurt yourself not just in the public eye, but in the court as well. I'll go ahead and pause real quick what you got, mike.
Speaker 2:So I know it's hard, but the best thing you can do in any situation like this walk away 100% Walk away. Walk away, calm yourself down and go back to the situation once you have calmed down, yep, because you're liable to say or do something in the moment that you wouldn't do normally.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:Because, let's face it, we all get to a point where we're spun up, worked up and we might I mean everybody's been cut off in traffic and you know flipped a bird or screamed at somebody, even though they can't hear them. But you have to do yourself the favor. It's going to be hard to do it, but walk away and take a moment for yourself to collect your thoughts and get yourself right and then deal with the situation and if they're blowing up your phone, turn the phone off or give the phone to a family member and say give this back to me later.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I deal with this with some other of my friends and acquaintances as well, and I've dealt with this myself. I haven't been accused of rape, thank God. I've dealt with other things in life, but, as a man who's gone through things with women before, haven't been accused of rape, thank god. You know, I've dealt with other things in life, but you know, um, as a man who's gone through things with women before and I'm speaking on from personal experience, whether you're right or wrong, whether it's true or false, like mike said, the best thing you can do is put it down, don't feed it. The worst thing you can do is feed it, especially in the moment, because you get the texting, you let your thumbs start going, you let your mind start going. You're not thinking, you're just typing, typing, typing, typing, send.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'll tell her.
Speaker 1:And then, 24 hours later, you're wishing you never typed that message or that post. Okay, as a man, I'm telling you this is what happens. Or that post okay, as a man, I'm telling you this is what happens. But the other thing is right. Men alike, we men love women.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's just say it for what it is, okay some men love men some men love men, but I'm not talking about those men and I'm not knocking them either. Okay, congratulations, and I respect you. But I'm talking about straight men who often find themselves in relations or acquaintances of younger women, especially men who are much older and successful, by the way.
Speaker 2:We can be dumb.
Speaker 1:We can be dumb and I'm not saying Sharp did anything. I'm not trying to give any weight to his accusations, but I'm also not trying to take away weight from his accusations. I'm trying to speak for men and I'm not talking about you, mike us.
Speaker 2:What I want to say is we're not saying that Shannon did or didn't do anything. We're basically saying this is how it is as we know it, and we're just kind of giving a little bit of our insight as to things we have seen and dealt with in our own lives, but also just hopefully giving some advice that may help somebody and may keep you from being in a situation that you don't need to be in and I'll just go ahead and like, like I said, I'm speaking from personal experience the best thing is shannon sharp, if you can hear me anybody else going through anything.
Speaker 1:You know relations wise, whether it be a woman, man, whatever your emotions, you know the best thing you can do is put it down and go breathe and just revisit later and, honestly, the best thing you do is is put it down and go breathe and just revisit it later and, honestly, the best thing you do is just not feed it at all. Let your lawyer handle it. You stay quiet, don't talk to her, don't talk to the lawyer, don't talk to other people. Mind your business, handle your business. That is the best way to be about it. And when it comes to dealing with younger women, as an older man and I'm not saying either of us are older, we're getting close. You're closer than I am because you just had a birthday. Well, gene, thanks. You do have to be careful, and I'm not saying all women are like this, please don't read me wrong but you do have to be careful.
Speaker 2:This applies to everybody. This could be man or woman yeah same thing and don't. Don't feel like this is a one-sided thing, because women can be in this situation too. Yeah, this is, this is for everyone.
Speaker 1:Yeah there's two. There's two things I'm going to say here. First of all, there are predators everywhere. Okay, young, old or in between. Okay, not saying this girl was a predator. Okay, not saying girl was a predator. Okay, not saying Sharp was a predator either. But there are predators out there who do things like this and get you hemmed up. The second thing is maturity. Okay, this woman was in her younger 20s.
Speaker 1:Listen, young folks fly off the handle rather typically, rather more than a lot of older folks. His older folks have slowed down, they've learned from life experiences and such and such a lot of younger folks are still revved up, they're still wild up, they don't know life experiences yet. So if you get somebody who is not happy with the outcome of things who maybe this young woman wasn't now she's saying oh well, I'm going to go accuse you of rape and ruin your fucking life and, best believe, I've been down this road before too, not with rape, but with some other things. So you know it. Just, you got to be in the moment and you got to be smart about the decisions you make and the things you say and I say specifically from as a man, you know. But getting down the road on that. I wish Mr Sharp the best of luck in his case. I hope everything works out and, honest to God, I hope it's not true.
Speaker 2:I hope that, whatever the outcome is, that you know, if indeed he did this, that you know that things go the right way, if he didn't do it. I hope things go the right way Overall in these situations they're shitty.
Speaker 1:They're shitty.
Speaker 2:Really, I feel like in these situations nobody wins. But I hope at the end of the day, that it's not a situation where somebody gets won over.
Speaker 1:And this is the last thing I'll say on it. She feels that she's been wronged in some way, and Mr Sharp is currently feeling like he's being wronged as the situation is being handled, and I can't disagree with him. So hopefully they can come to some agreement where this can all go away and they can both move on with their successful lives. Okay, Now let's talk about the NFL draft. We're on the eve of one of the biggest anticipated events of the year NFL draft.
Speaker 2:Well, before you start talking about that, there was a big announcement today.
Speaker 1:Oh, oh. Yes, there was a big announcement and this has absolutely nothing to do with the draft, but it is football-related Hall of Fame game. Who's excited not to see the Chiefs play?
Speaker 2:Okay, so the Hall of Fame game is usually the precursor to everybody getting a small taste of football, like where crackheads get in a little taste, you know like, give us our football.
Speaker 1:We want our football. Why do they usually pick bad teams? Last year was the Cowboys and the Browns.
Speaker 2:Well, the Chargers were in the playoffs.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so were the Lions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so they didn't choose bad teams.
Speaker 1:But I think it's good that they chose these two teams. Because one they're not the Chiefs. And two, they're not historically bad teams like the Browns and Cowboys.
Speaker 2:Well, anyway, point being you gave it away. It's going to be on July 31st. We're going to have the Lions and Chargers play each other in a preseason game, so that will be kind of. The unofficial kickoff to football is back.
Speaker 1:I hate ruining surprises. I'm not good with those kind of things. It's okay, appreciate that. But now we can talk about the NFL. Now we can talk about the NFL draft what we've all been waiting for at least I've been waiting for for most of this episode. So pick number one Titans.
Speaker 2:We already know who they're picking.
Speaker 1:Do we Is it.
Speaker 2:Smoke? No, it's not Dude, we know who they're picking.
Speaker 1:I'm just playing devil's advocate. It's hard to play devil's advocate with somebody who's well-known. It's a ham word all day.
Speaker 2:No, the only news that did come out that recently was kind of leaked, is that Cleveland has pretty much decided they're going to take Travis Hunter and, if the rumor's correct, they're going to use Travis Hunter mainly as a wide receiver and then kind of doing a 70-30 split where 70% of the time being a wide receiver and the other 30 being a a corner like bringing him in in crucial down situations honestly, I'm eager to see travis hunter in the nfl.
Speaker 1:I think he's going to be a great player. Uh, not taking anything away from any of his teammates, but I'm just saying him in particular. I think he's gonna be a great player.
Speaker 2:I don't think that's a shot at his teammates. I just think that it's. It's interesting to see wanting to see a good player. Take the next step well, well, it's interesting.
Speaker 1:You say they're going to do 730 split, strong toward receiver because his skill set is strong towards cornerback.
Speaker 2:Well, there's been some debate there where people have said you know well, is he a top three receiver, is he a top three corner? No, he's top three when he's both.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And taking away from one or the other kind of dilutes the fact that he's a top three pick, Because he is, he's not Randy Moss. You know he's, he's not Randy.
Speaker 1:Moss, no, moss, no, moss yeah.
Speaker 2:He's not Daryl Woodson. You know he's not. You know, like a oh dang, why am I forgetting his name? Bailey, used to play for you guys.
Speaker 1:Oh, Champ Bailey.
Speaker 2:Champ Bailey. Yeah, he's not Champ Bailey.
Speaker 1:Champ Bailey was a little short, though too he's tall.
Speaker 2:But Champ Bailey all-timer and he's tall. But but champ bailey all-timer and he's a hall of famer. But yeah these are guys you pick in the top three picks. Yeah, but the reason he is a top three pick is because of what he can bring you on both sides of the ball yeah, I I think there's a lot of weight to that and I I honestly I think I agree with you.
Speaker 1:They should utilize all of his skills in two directions now if he gets out. This is a good two-way street with travis hunter because if you try to utilize them stronger as a receiver it doesn't work out. You can flip that. You can use a lot, utilize them stronger as a db and then mix them in 30 to the receiver side, so you kind of had two directions you can utilize this guy in.
Speaker 2:So I have a question, since we're getting into the draft eve and we're getting ready for the draft. So we always like when teams trade out or move up or move down, or where do we think they're going to wind up moving and who for what? So my question to you in the top ten yes. Who's moving down?
Speaker 1:Who's moving down? Who's moving?
Speaker 2:down. Yeah, who will trade out of their spot out of the top 10?
Speaker 1:Out of the top 10.
Speaker 2:Out of the top 10 teams that are drafting, which team do you feel will move down?
Speaker 1:Honestly, this is a good question it depends on. I could see I don't see the Giants moving down. Brian Dable's too greedy. The Patriots they need too much help. The Jaguars would love to take somebody at number five. The Patriots, they need too much help. The Jaguars would love to take somebody at number five. I could see the Panthers trying to work a deal. The Bears could take somebody at number 10. I could see the Bears moving down one or two spots as well. I could see the Panthers or the Bears trading out of the top 10. Not very far though.
Speaker 2:I don't think they go very far, okay. So I hear you on that point, my thought, and maybe you can hear me out on this and see what you think.
Speaker 1:It's not about me. It's about our listeners.
Speaker 2:So my thought is we already know picks one and two set. They're not going anywhere. Probably yes, right, 98%. And the other thought is the Giants are almost certainly going to take Abdul Carter and wait until next year to get a quarterback, which to me kind of makes sense. Go ahead and get you some good pass rushers, build up your O and D line.
Speaker 1:Click on this real quick. What are the Giants' needs here? Let's look close to the Giants. I'm hearing your point. They need a lot of help is what they're looking at.
Speaker 2:They need a lot of stuff, but if you can get a, perennial pass rusher and go back to the well next year. They don't necessarily need anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because they could be in the race for Archie.
Speaker 2:So here's my thought. I'm thinking at number four, the Patriots. Now, granted, you're not up at number four very often, but let me say this I know the Patriots need a lot, but when you're not up at number four very often, but let me say this, I know the Patriots need a lot, but when you need a lot, what do the Patriots always do?
Speaker 1:Trade. They move down, they move down. And moving from number four and staying within the top ten is a very real possibility.
Speaker 2:So, with the fact that you have the Jaguars and you have the Raiders, both teams have been linked to possibly being in for Ashton Gentry. Yeah, like the Cowboys, like the Bears, who are still up there in the picks but have been in need of a run game, it could possibly move up to try to get ahead of the Jaguars and the Raiders to get their pieces.
Speaker 1:So one team that's not in the top 10 that I like to make a move, and it kills me to say it I like the Cowboys to make a move in the draft.
Speaker 2:Historically they haven't.
Speaker 1:They haven't, but they usually do something in free agency, except for 2024's free agency.
Speaker 2:Well, let me ask you this which team should make a move in the top 10? Who should make a move like up or down? Who should be moving?
Speaker 1:honestly, I think if you're sitting at number three, four or five, you make a move one or two spots down, you probably still likely get the player you're looking at. You get one or two more picks. That's where I'm thinking. I think if you're in the middle of the looking at, you get one or two more picks. That's where I'm thinking. I think if you're in the middle of the top 10, you move out. The only exception will be maybe the panthers or the saints. The saints not really sure what they want to do in the draft. They're waiting on derrick carr's final outcome. That could be smoke, but I really think you know. Aside, I think those teams could make a move to the Patriots. But you know, yeah, I think if you're in the middle of the top five, four, five or six, you're probably looking to move down a spot or two and acquire some more picks.
Speaker 2:The team. I think that should move the Saints. Yeah, and here's why I say that the Saints are getting ready to deal with cap hell. They have older players and they're going to with cap hell. They have older players and they're going to have to move off these older players. Good point if the saints were to move off of the number nine pick and do so in a point where they can move down and acquire multiple picks to move up. Allow somebody to move up, especially a team that's, you know, maybe in the back teens, maybe maybe in the early 20s, that want to transition themselves up to get that key piece they need.
Speaker 1:Because, let's face it, the further back you are in the draft order, the more ready your team is by the way, speaking of the saints, I believe they're one of three teams which, by by the way, includes the Vikings that could be involved in a trade for Kirk Cousins on draft day.
Speaker 2:I don't think the Saints will do that because they showed last year they're comfortable with playing their other quarterbacks.
Speaker 1:Well, they just didn't want to pay him, Spencer. Rattler Well, they can't, they can't but they also don't want to Unless Atlanta, spencer or Rattler.
Speaker 2:Well, they can't, they can't pay him, they can't, but they also don't want to, unless Atlanta's going to pick up the bill, which I don't think they will. They want to get off Cousins and free up money. The only way that he goes to the Saints is if the Saints work out a deal to send multiple players from them to the Atlanta Falcons and get them to pick up a portion of the contract. But I don't think that's going to happen. I would be less surprised to see him go to the Vikings, to be honest, and that could be a play. That could be a play that Atlanta does to get themselves positioned back into the first round if they saw a player that they absolutely had to have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't disagree. Now, where are the Steelers at Steelers?
Speaker 2:are at 21.
Speaker 1:So they're at 21. They were also mentioned in the trade for Kirk Cousins the possibility there's a lot of trade rumors swirling around.
Speaker 2:right now they're getting the runaround from Rodgers, so the possibility of getting Cousins is appealing to them. Well, did you hear?
Speaker 1:what Rooney said. Excuse me. No, I did not hear what Rooney said Rooney actually just came out and said just let Rodgers go. If he don't know where he wants to play, let him go figure it out. They said they're not waiting for Rodgers go. If he don't know where he wants to play, let him go figure it out.
Speaker 2:They said they're not waiting for Rodgers anymore, they're going to go ahead and move on with their plans Not that I think they have any, but Okay, I got another scenario for you which team out of the back part of the draft and when I mean the back part of the draft, 27 on down which team is more likely to trade out of the first round? Meaning they'll move down, they'll let another team jump back into the first round? Which, from 27 down? We got the Ravens. We got the Ravens at 27. We got the Lions at 28. We got the Washington Commanders at 29. Buffalo at 30. Kc at 31. And Eagles at 32. Out of those teams, which one is more likely to trade out of the first round?
Speaker 1:Which one is more likely to trade out of the first round. I think honestly, I think the Bills, the Commanders or the Eagles. I don't think it's going to be the Commanders, I think there's somebody in the first round they want. The Lions, having lost their DC andC and OC, may be looking for more pieces. This could be an opportunity for them to acquire another one or two draft picks and still get a first-round value at the top of the second round, and I think the same for Philadelphia. I think they could easily trade out a 32, gain a pick or two and still get first-. Value.
Speaker 2:I mean, just because you're in the second round doesn't mean these guys are all second rounders so you, you essentially don't have to give up that fifth year for for a player and you don't have to give up as big of a contract. Uh, that being said, that's why it kind of makes sense to me that you might see the eagles drop out yeah, I, I could agree with the eagles, and especially with them.
Speaker 1:Being as loaded as they are, they don't have a really a reason to stay in the top 10 to be, honest with you to be.
Speaker 2:To be perfectly honest, they might want to stack picks in order to make it to where their ability to move around in the later rounds is possible.
Speaker 1:The first altered pick we have is pick 52 in round two Seahawks via Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2:They got it from Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's our first unorthodox pick of the NFL draft all the way down at the bottom of the second round.
Speaker 2:It's pick 52. Yeah, and also the Seahawks still have pick 50, so they're going to pick, and then the Broncos, and then they'll pick again. It's usually a good situation when you have that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they could have some trade bait here. I'm just going through the rounds here just to see whose picks, whose uh picks, look like what. Does anybody have multiple picks in the top three rounds besides them uh?
Speaker 2:the niners do the niners do they have. They have, uh, two picks in the third round and two picks in the fourth round pick 75 and pick 100.
Speaker 1:100 on dot. It's a comp pick. I could see the 49ers maybe trying to trade back into the second round with one of those picks. To be honest with you, I think they'll hold steady. They may hold steady.
Speaker 2:They've had a very good situation with them picking up players in the middle rounds and them turning out. I mean, greenlaw was a middle round pick, kittle was a middle round pick, tuofunga was like a sixth round pick and you know they oh what's his face? Panani he was a middle round pick. So I mean they've had success with picking guys in the middle rounds.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you find a lot of good value in the middle rounds. I mean, you find a lot of good value if you know what you're looking for undrafted free agency as well. But we'll see what the future holds tomorrow. We're 24 hours away Actually, just a little less than that now, maybe 23, 22 hours away from the beginning of the NFL draft. We're in the heat of NBA playoffs and you know NHL playoffs as well, so we've had a pretty packed episode playoffs as well, so we've had a pretty packed episode. I'd like to thank you guys once again for uh, joining us here on another episode of two for the win, and please find us on social media facebook, instagram, um, you know, find us on. We're on all the streaming services.
Speaker 2:Excuse me, I'm kind of not definitely, definitely pass the word to people pass the word to people.
Speaker 1:Uh, thank you everybody for listening and joining. Uh, feel free to ask us questions, interact with us or post things on our page, any of our pages yeah, give us your insight.
Speaker 2:What do you think's happening with the draft tomorrow? Absolutely, or you know, if you have opinions on what that happened in the draft, tell us. Yeah, tell us.
Speaker 1:We would love to hear from you, love to hear from you, and we'll post some things as well for interaction. But again, thank you everybody for joining us. Uh, once again I'm brian with an eye and I'm mike and we are two for the win thanks, everybody.